| 1 | 1 | | I |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. R. 1732 |
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| 5 | 5 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate penalties for persons |
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| 6 | 6 | | charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under |
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| 7 | 7 | | the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for |
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| 8 | 8 | | other purposes. |
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| 9 | 9 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 10 | 10 | | FEBRUARY27, 2025 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Mr. P |
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| 12 | 12 | | APPAS(for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. VANDREW, Mr. THOMPSON |
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| 13 | 13 | | of Mississippi, Mrs. R |
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| 14 | 14 | | AMIREZ, Mr. GOLDENof Maine, Mr. CONNOLLY, |
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| 15 | 15 | | Mr. B |
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| 16 | 16 | | ACON, Mr. MCGARVEY, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. KELLYof Illinois, Mrs. |
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| 17 | 17 | | S |
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| 18 | 18 | | YKES, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. CASAR, Mr. KEATING, Mrs. CHERFILUS- |
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| 19 | 19 | | M |
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| 20 | 20 | | CCORMICK, Mr. PETERS, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. |
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| 21 | 21 | | S |
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| 22 | 22 | | CHAKOWSKY, Ms. HOYLEof Oregon, Ms. TOKUDA, Ms. NORTON, Ms. |
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| 23 | 23 | | M |
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| 24 | 24 | | CCLELLAN, Mr. DAVISof North Carolina, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. |
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| 25 | 25 | | S |
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| 26 | 26 | | ORENSEN, Mr. MAGAZINER, Ms. SHERRILL, Ms. SALINAS, Mr. |
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| 27 | 27 | | K |
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| 28 | 28 | | USTOFF, Ms. OMAR, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. CARTERof Louisiana, Mr. |
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| 29 | 29 | | M |
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| 30 | 30 | | OULTON, Mr. DELUZIO, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. AMO, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. |
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| 31 | 31 | | Q |
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| 32 | 32 | | UIGLEY, Ms. ROSS, Mr. GARCIAof California, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Mrs. |
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| 33 | 33 | | H |
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| 34 | 34 | | AYES, Mr. COHEN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. STANTON, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. |
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| 35 | 35 | | S |
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| 36 | 36 | | TRONG, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. TITUS, Ms. TENNEY, |
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| 37 | 37 | | and Mr. G |
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| 38 | 38 | | RIJALVA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to |
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| 39 | 39 | | the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee |
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| 40 | 40 | | on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the |
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| 41 | 41 | | Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within |
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| 42 | 42 | | the jurisdiction of the committee concerned |
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| 43 | 43 | | A BILL |
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| 44 | 44 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate penalties |
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| 45 | 45 | | for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees relating |
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| 46 | 46 | | to claims for benefits under the laws administered by |
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| 47 | 47 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Mar 15, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1732.IH H1732 |
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| 48 | 48 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 |
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| 49 | 49 | | •HR 1732 IH |
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| 50 | 50 | | the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other pur- |
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| 51 | 51 | | poses. |
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| 52 | 52 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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| 53 | 53 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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| 55 | 55 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Governing 4 |
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| 56 | 56 | | Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits 5 |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act’’ or the ‘‘GUARD VA Benefits Act’’. 6 |
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| 58 | 58 | | SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR CHARGING 7 |
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| 59 | 59 | | VETERANS UNAUTHORIZED FEES RELATING 8 |
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| 60 | 60 | | TO CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS UNDER LAWS AD-9 |
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| 61 | 61 | | MINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VET-10 |
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| 62 | 62 | | ERANS AFFAIRS. 11 |
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| 63 | 63 | | Section 5905 of title 38, United States Code, is 12 |
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| 64 | 64 | | amended— 13 |
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| 65 | 65 | | (1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘Pen-14 |
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| 66 | 66 | | alty’’ and inserting ‘‘Penalties’’ (and conforming 15 |
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| 67 | 67 | | the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 59 16 |
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| 68 | 68 | | of such title accordingly); 17 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (2) by inserting ‘‘(a) W |
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| 70 | 70 | | ITHHOLDING OFBENE-18 |
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| 71 | 71 | | FITS.—’’ before ‘‘Whoever’’; and 19 |
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| 72 | 72 | | (3) by adding at the end the following new sub-20 |
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| 73 | 73 | | section: 21 |
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| 74 | 74 | | ‘‘(b) C |
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| 75 | 75 | | HARGING OFUNAUTHORIZEDFEES.—Except 22 |
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| 76 | 76 | | as provided in sections 5904 or 1984 of this title, whoever 23 |
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| 77 | 77 | | solicits, contracts for, charges, or receives, or attempts to 24 |
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| 78 | 78 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Mar 15, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1732.IH H1732 |
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| 79 | 79 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 |
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| 80 | 80 | | •HR 1732 IH |
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| 81 | 81 | | solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or com-1 |
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| 82 | 82 | | pensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or 2 |
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| 83 | 83 | | prosecution of any claim for benefits under the laws ad-3 |
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| 84 | 84 | | ministered by the Secretary shall be fined as provided in 4 |
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| 85 | 85 | | title 18.’’. 5 |
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| 86 | 86 | | Æ |
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| 87 | 87 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:45 Mar 15, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1732.IH H1732 |
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| 88 | 88 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB |
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